Storage tank



SePt- 8, 1942- H, c. BRINKMAN y 2,295,514 STORAGE TANK Filed June 29, -1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

M( ym/@ATTORNEYJ y Sept 8, 1942 H. c. BRINKMAN 2,295,514

STORAGE TANK Filed June 29, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2V INVENTOR.

BY p/V sible in the Thefhoider Of Patented' sepi.- e, Y

tosta-oer frcindnnaaomo,

oFFice Brothers Gas Construction a corporation o! Ohio apprestano June ze, loro, serai No. 281,935

This invention relates to gas storage reservoirs of theA rigid type, as distinguished from the usual water holders in which an inverted cup-shaped dome, its lower. edge immersed in water, rises and falls in relation'to changes in the volume of gas being stored, or the later type dry gas holder in which a sealing piston rises and falls within a cylindrical or polygonal shell as the volume of gas varies. 'I'he xed volume type of holder in the past has been built in the shape of a sphere or in the shape of a cylindrical shell with dlshed or hemispherical heads, in some cases, of a configuration somewhat resembling a bullet or projectile. The type or holder of the present invention is distinguished by a shape of configuration diierent from-those constructed in the past and f is capable of storing a greater volumn of gas for the area occupied, than the holders of the past.

In the spherical gas holders well known in the art, a. metallic sphere is mounted upon a. foundation, usually consisting of a plurality of pedestals rising from the ground` in a circle. The present invention isV an improvement over this type`of structure in many respects: First, a portion of the space between thesphere and the ground is utilized or'the storage of gas; second, the entire weight of the sphere, when empty, is' supported at the center on onecentralized relatively small foundation'pier as opposed toa series of independent foundations orpiers where the settlementof one and not others will. cause one ory more .of the piers to take van abnormal load and cause strains in the holderpthird, the holder is more securely mooredthan has been pos- 'fourth, the weight of the tank,

'more eiciently supported and,

when --empta when is A fth, theholder morepleasing appearance than-any' nereteforeecn'structed.- For this'iatter a residential district without complaint;

thefprsentinvention consists acannswLzzo-i) f' than as-A required by the nature and strength of the materials used in the fabrication. However. it is extremely important as light as possible as a practical matter, to make a holder of this type in order to reduce the amount it, the cost of fabrication, foundation required. expediente are recommended to permit this lightening of the structure, and alternatively or coniointly.

or metal going into and the size 'of the A central standard or support is built inside in the center of the l of the holder, preferably foundation so that it rises axially through the tubular portion of the holder and lies in thevertical axis forthe spherical part of the holder.

The top of this central standard is spread out to provide an enlarged the central standard. Obviously, of a central standard of this typepa'rtially or entirely relieves the lower part of the holder of the weight of the upper part of the 'holder and particularly tends to take weight or force' or stress oli of the tubular portion of the holder which is immediately connected to the foundation. If desired, this standard may vbe built t0 v such a. height that the holder is vertically vhung 'supportedlonthc gas itself; and v from the central standard, rather than mounted upon the' tubular neck of the holder Alternatively, the diameter of the tubular poion of the holder, is predetermined in relation to the cubic volume of the holder, so that when the holder is inatedl with gas to the desired pressure', the column of gas within the tube actually supports the holder, and the tubular neck is under a slight stretching ltension rather than under compression due to the weight of the metal of the holder.

Preferably the diameter of the tubular portion at the base of the holder may be such that the total gas pressure on the base plate will be slightly in excess of -the `dead load of the shell when the holder is subjected to itsmaximum gas pres- Sure.

of a body portionr or: bulb portion which',

preferably is spherical,"

or approximates a sphere in shape.

Vmeans-of a tubular member or Thisbulb jportionis connected to the This action may best be visualized if one pic- I tures a childs small rubber balloon of the ltype normally inated through a neck portion. If it be blown, up to suilicient pressure, the neck becomes, to all intents and purposes, rigid sothat it, or rather the column of gas within it, supports the bulb portion of the balloon.V 50.

In the preferred embodiment of invention, a central standard support is used in conjunction with'the balloon phenomenav discussed in the A' preceding paragraph. In. this preferred embodiment, the height of the standard'is s0 adjusted other asto supportthe weight of the shell of the holder In the present'case, two

these mayv be used Y support area at-'the top of v the utilization sired pressure, the shell The pme l2 rests when empty. Accordingly, substantially all of the weight foundation, through When the holder is the central standard. inflated with gas to the deplates are subjected to tensional stresses due to the gas pressure. The

of the holder is transmitted to the diameter and also the actual surface areas ofthe l sphere increase in proportion to the tensional stresses. Thus, as soon as the gas within the holder is under even a low pressure, the dead load on the center column is reduced by .the amount of the total gas pressure exerted on the base.

'Ihe top portion of the holder then rises clear of the central standard so that it is supported on the column of gas enclosed by the tubular portion of the holder. As pointed out before, however, the diameter of the base of this tubular portion of the holder exposed to effective gas pressure, must be adjusted in relation to the weight of the holder so that the area of the tubular base times the pressure of the gas per unit area is equal to the weight of the holder.

Obviously the broad invention set forth herein does not require the use of the central standard or post. In other words, the walls of the tank may be of sufllcient rigidity and the tubular portion of sufficient mass to -support the dead load of the holder. In the preferred embodiment, or in the embodiment shown in the drawings, supplemental `peripheral moorings may be used if desired.

Other objects and certain` advantages of .the invention will be more fully apparent f rom a de-' scription of the following drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved gas holder.

Figure 2 'is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 1, showing the internal structure of the of concrete |3 imbedded in the ground. The plate is secured by means of anchor bolts Il.

The upper end oi the standard is provided with a head, which may be aplate, or the elementsof which may be t upon and is attached to a blockl arranged somewhat after the manto the upper end of the tubular standard. Art cuate ribs I6, formed of channel iron, extend radially from this disc, being attached thereto at their inner ends. These ribs are formed on a curvature corresponding to thatof the holder wall when deflated. Accordingly, the wall is supported evenly on the ribs. The outer ends of the radial ribs or stays are supported by means of angular braces I1 converging upon the standard.

Another disc is welded to the standard and a series of radial fins I9 are welded to the standard and disc and extend out to the peripheral margin of the disc. Each brace consists of two angle iron pieces, one on each side of the respective fins. All of these parts are secured together by welding. The standard is of such a height that the holder wall is supported essentially on the umbrella when deflated.

The lower end of the holder is anchored by means of a tubular element 20, which also constitutes the means for extending the gas enclosure downwardly so that the gas is in direct contact with the base plate l2.

This element 2l may be flared, as indicated, so as to curve neatly into the curvature of the holder to enter the sphericalpart of the tank through the tubular part when the tank is not in use.

to the holder around The segments of. each section edges 'formed on circumferential or girth lines. This arrangement may vary.

When the holder is erected and completed, it is preferable that the entire dead load, including ding. ,f

Under internal gas pressure, the gas pressure base plate relieves the load on the standard or column.

and upwardly within the sphere, so as to support or sustain it in umbrella fashion.

On the other hand, when gas under higher pressure is introdced into self sustains the weight of the holder by exerting a force against the base plate. In other words, the load oi' the holder is borne by the gas with which it is illled, this gas, in turn, tending to press have their longitudinal A If .the gas pressure is suf-1` iicient, the entire dead thev holder this gas it,

said member resting upon the base plate against its foundation, so as to relieve the conduit from structural loading. The sphere thus tends to float upon the base, depending upon the pressure of the gas within the holder. Therefore, it is not requisite that structural load sustaining elements be located'about the periphery of the holder for sustaining it.

Horizontal forces, resulting from wind or other causes are resisted by a horizontal shear at the column base enclosure and the overturning force resulting from these horizontal forces, is resisted by the tie rods, resulting in an increase of tie rod tension on the Windward side with a corresponding decrease on the leeward side. Ii the initial tension on the tie rods is sufficient, no change l5V in the load on the central column will occur,

' In the instances of th'e larger installations, as is shown in the drawing, a ladder is provided extending vertically to the great circle and around the curvature of the sphere to the upper pole.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

1. A gas holder comprising a base plate, a tubular member having its axis disposed vertically,

and in gas-tight connection with mounted upon said tubular member and being in communication therewith, the predetermined normal operating pressure within the tank and the area of said base plate exposed to said pressure being so related spherical tank is equal to the total pressure on said base plate. K

2. A container for gas comprising a spherical tank, a base plate for supporting said tank, an axial extension on said conduit having its lower end in gas-tight connection with the base plate for permitting the exertion of gas pressure against the base plate,

the predetermined normal operating pressure within the tank and the area of said base plate exposed to said pressure being so related that the weight of the spherical tank is equal to the total pressure on said base plate, and a support extending axially upwardly from the base plate through the axial extension and normally supporting the upper' portion oi the spherical tank when the tank does not contain gas under pres# sure, said tank adapted to move out of contact V with' said support when the tank contains gas said base plate, a spherical tank 25 that the weight ofthe 30 spherical tank when gas under pressure, said tank adapted to move under pressure.

3; A container for gas comprising a spherical tank, a base plate for supporting said tank, said tank including an axially extended tubular conduit having its lower end in gas-tight connection with the base plate for permitting the exertion of gas pressure against the base plate, the predetermined normal operating* pressure within the tank andthe area of said base plate exposed to said pressure being so related that the weight of the spherical tank is equal to the total pressure on said base plate, a support extending axially upwardly from conduit and having mally supporting the base-plate through the a broadened upper end northe upper portion of the the tank does not contain out of contact with' said broadened upper Aencl when the tank contains gas under pressure and a series oftie rods extending from the girth o! said spherical tank'to points. o! attachment on the ground for stabilizing said spherical tank tank providing a tubular 35 against wind pressures.

HERBERT c vfBRrNmLAN. 

